SALEM, Ohio — The Ohio State Fair is celebrating the nation’s birthday this year with a protein-packed tribute to one of the Buckeye State’s biggest industries.
The official 2026 Ohio State Fair deviled egg flavor will be Birthday Cake, in honor of America’s 250th birthday. The new flavor will make its debut when the fair opens on July 29. Fairgoers will find it at the Ohio Poultry Association’s (OPA) official Deviled Egg Headquarters, which will be located next to the brand-new Ohio Agriculture Center at the fairgrounds in Columbus.
The Birthday Cake Deviled Egg boasts sweet vanilla cake flavor topped with a festive icing drizzle and red, white and blue sprinkles. The flavor will be sold individually or as part of a new America 250 deviled egg flight that brings together a playful twist on a host of other American favorites including Apple Pie, Mac & Cheese, Hot Dog, Ranch and Brisket.
“As America marks its 250th anniversary, we’re proud to celebrate the farmers and traditions that have made eggs a staple on tables for generations,” said Jim Chakeres, OPA executive vice president, in a press release.
OPA will continue its Ohio State Fair tradition of operating two food booths: the Poultry food stand and Deviled Egg HQ. The Poultry food stand will feature delicious dishes sourced directly from Ohio chicken and turkey farmers. Fairgoers can enjoy breakfast service from 8 to 11 a.m. and lunch and dinner service from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The menu will include shredded chicken sandwiches, grilled chicken breasts, Thanksgiving dinner, chicken and noodle bowls and one-pound turkey wings, along with a few new items. Look out for the Tot-Cho Bowl, which tops tater tots with taco-seasoned chicken, salsa, cheese and sour cream, as well as a crispy chicken wrap with crispy chicken, lettuce, cheese, tomato and ranch in a flour tortilla, with the option to add BBQ or Buffalo sauce.
The Deviled Egg HQ will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and will offer individual deviled eggs and deviled egg flights, including this year’s America 250 flight. The stand will serve a Fair Favorites Flight with Dill Pickle, Columbus Pizza, Hot Honey Everything, Hot Dog, Buffalo Chicken and Maple Bacon Crunch. But save room for the New Flavor Flight, which features Pineapple Habanero, Cincinnati Chili, Brisket, French Onion, Mac & Cheese and Ranch. Meanwhile, for fairgoers with grumbling stomachs who worry that such exotic flavors might not mix well with all the drops, twists, plunges and spins on the midway rides, there’s always the Classic Egg Six-Pack, which may be a little easier on the tummy.
Ohio is one of the nation’s largest egg farming states, producing about 11 billion eggs each year. The state ranks eighth nationally in turkey production, and its chicken farms produce more than 591 million pounds of chicken annually.
For more information about egg, chicken and turkey farming, visit OhioPoultry.org. For recipes, visit OhioEggs.com and OhioTurkey.com.
